


To Find One's Roots

by Hekate1308



Series: Children of Purgatory [24]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 12, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2019-01-16 10:09:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12340584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308
Summary: The last thing she expected was too see an Amazon she had grown up with.





	To Find One's Roots

Dad had suggested that they catch a movie in a drive-in theatre, just the two of them. Emma was secretly thrilled; between the Men of Letters and the people constantly popping in and out of the bunker, they had spent little time together only as father and daughter lately.

It wasn’t that easy, overthrowing the good old motherland for good.

They were playing the classics, too. God she loved Hitchcock movies, and what better film than _Psycho_?

Only it wasn’t meant to be a relaxing evening, because almost as soon as they had got their popcorn and had settled down to watch, she spotted someone she knew from a past life.

Literally.

“Harriet” she said immediately. “Dad, she was one of the Amazons I grew up with!”

“What? Which one?” He sat up, the alert hunter once more.

She pointed to a girl with black hair heavily flirting with a man who must have been at least twenty years her senior.

“Creep” Dad muttered. She knew he didn’t mean Harriet. “So you think it’s mating season again?”

She shrugged. While Emma had been concerned about the moment she would feel the urge to procreate, it hadn’t materialized and she was beginning to doubt it ever would. Maybe dying had interrupted her cycle.

She kept watching Harriet while Dad called Cas.

“Yeah, she’s sure... We’ve been waiting for them to resurface, looks like they grew smart and changed their menu. Guy doesn’t look like a banker; don’t get me wrong, reasonably well off and friendly, but nothing high profile...”

“They probably go for normal boring guys now that they have experience hunter progeny” Crowley drawled from the backseat. They didn’t even flinch.

“So who is the lucky lady who is supposed to get impregnated tonight?”

Emma pointed out Harriet.

“How do you want to do this?”

Dad hung up the phone. “Cas and I agree that we should try and find the nest before they fly off to the next city.”

“Alright” Emma decided, “so we spook her and let her escape. Crowley can follow her. Or is that a problem?”

“They have certainly shielded their lair against demons” he smirked, “but then, that does not longer contain me.”

He vanished, presumably to watch their interaction with Harriet from a little distance.

“God, Dad” she said, thinking that the smirk Crowley had just given her would have creeped her out if she hadn’t known him so well, “on some days I am _so_ glad he became good.”

“You have no idea. Back when he was after us, I used to look over my shoulder constantly. Of course back then I didn’t have you or Cas.” He grinned. “Ready to scare the bejesus out of your former kinda sister?”

Of course she was. She could look onto Harriet with little emotion. She was just another monster, who had chosen to go down the path that had been destined for them. Yes, maybe Emma would have done then same if she had succeeded in killing her father, but it was idle to speculate.

Why should she care for the Sisterhood now? She had a family.

“We have a job to do” she replied.

Both her and Harriet still looked rather young, so it was easy to come up with a strategy.

“What are you doing with my cousin!?” she shrieked while Dad stalked towards them with a murderous expression.

“Young lady, wait what your father has to say about this! I certainly don’t expect to be called from home on a Saturday night to search for my lost niece!”

Harriet was so shocked at seeing Emma that she allowed herself to be dragged to a secluded corner.

“Emma? They told us you died.”

“I did.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“They told us you failed”.

“Did that, too.”

She took a step towards Emma; Dad wanted to intervene, but she shook her head. This was between Amazons, and Amazons only.

“You brought shame upon us.”

“I did nothing. I just failed to murder my father.”

“Father” she spat. “You didn’t kill the man your mother chose to have you with; what is he to you?”

“What is he to me?”

“Yes. You had the Sisterhood; you were on your way of becoming one of us; what kept you from fulfilling your destiny after you came back? We would have forgiven you – “

She had never even contemplated that. Would she have, if she’d been brought back right away, before her sojourn to Purgatory? She couldn’t say, but it wasn’t important. She had found her family, more importantly, she had _chosen_ her family.

“I don’t want your forgiveness. Or your opinion, for that matter. Harriet, what you are doing is wrong.”

We replenish our ranks and a few men die. What’s so wrong about that? They’re just men.”

“They have a right to live like everyone.”

“Hey” Dad said suddenly, “I will admit that most of them are douches – present company not excluded by any means. But you can’t just kill them because of some stupid old ritual in a book. Also, would you kindly step away from my daughter? You’re getting a bit too close for my liking.”

Harriet had indeed been moving closer, but Emma knew she could take her.

“I’m alright, Dad” she said, touching his forearm.

Harriet’s eyes widened. It was easy to guess why. Once Amazons were taken from those who had born them, they never referred to each other as mother and daughter. They were part of the Sisterhood, and that was enough, had been enough for millennia.

Not for Emma.

“You – you – he actually – “ Harriet stumbled back.

“Now” Dad warned her. “Don’t even think of making a break for it – “

Which was of course exactly what she did.

He grinned at her. “Well then. Let’s watch the movie while we wait for Crowley, what do you say?”

Emma had just almost jumped for the millionth time when the mother of Norman Bates was revealed when Crowley said, “That’s my favourite part. Always reminds me of a certain ginger-haired witch.”

“Have you got them?” Dean asked.

“What kind of question is that supposed to be, Squirrel?”

“Can you get us there all together?”

Transporting whole groups was tricky, but Crowley smiled. “I have been researching spells because I figured it might come in handy at some point.”

“I never thought I’d say that to you of all people, but don’t ever change.”

It was probably a good thing that Dad was starting the car and not looking at Crowley, because the demon looked like a deer caught in flashlights before he vanished abruptly.

“I think you broke him” she commented mildly.

“He’ll come around.”

As they drove back to the bunker, Dad began, “Emma – “

“You don’t have to” she interrupted him. “I know what you are about to say, and I am coming with you.”

“This is not just any case, Emma. They were your fam – “

“No, they weren’t that. They were never that. Please, Dad, believe me. I can handle this. I have to handle this.”

He looked at her. “Alright” he finally said.

The others were ready by the time they got to the bunker.

Cas walked up to them to kiss Dad before asking her quietly, “Emma, how are you?”

“I’m good. Let’s go kick some Amazon ass.”

Cas knew better than to pressure her. He gently squeezed her shoulder.

One looked passed between them was enough to ensure Madison knew as well, and she gently kept Sam from speaking to Emma about it.

She really loved her.

The Amazons were actually camped only an hour away from the bunker. If they had known, they would probably not even have been in the same state.

“Alright, so what do we do? Go in guns blazing?”

“Let me talk to them” Emma said quietly.

“Em? What – “

“I meant what I said. They were never my family. Others bear that distinction” she explained, looking over their little group. “But many of them never even questions what they are doing. All I want is to give them one chance. If this doesn’t work...”

“Fine, but you’re going in with – “ Sam began but Crowley was already giving her an earpiece.

“That should be small enough that no one notices.”

“Thanks, your Majesty.”

“Don’t mention it, Miss Squirrel.”

Dad hugged her before she went in.

She knocked. It was Harriet who opened the door.

“They are waiting for you.”

 She passed her. She was armed, of course, and highly trained; she moved into the circle without fear.

“Emma”.

It was Catherine, the oldest of them, who had spoken. She looked into her eyes, calm, relaxed.

“Hello Catherine.”

Her eyes slid over those she had grown up with and found who she was looking for.

“Lydia.”

Her mother almost winced. Almost.

“You should not giving pre-eminence to her.”

“I am not. I am just being polite.” Emma took a deep breath. “i have come here to ask the Sisterhood if they are ready to contemplate changing their ways.”

“You are no longer part of the Sisterhood.”

“I never truly was, Catherine. That is not part of the debate. I am asking if you would consider another path.”

“Our path is that of our Goddess.”

“And where is she? What good does she do to you`? What good has she ever done? She turned us into what we are today. But that is all. I was free to do what I wanted. As are you.”

She thought she could see doubt in the eyes of some of her former roommates.

“Em” her father said quietly into her ear, “Just say the word we’ll move in immediately.”

“And if we decide we want to hold onto our tradition?”

“They you can’t be allowed to continue. You use and murder people.”

“So we should listen to a child who never learnt the true ways of the Goddess?” Catherine huffed.

“No. You should listen to me. I am Emma Winchester. I am a hunter. And if you don’t refrain from killing humans, me and my family will crush you.”

“Your family” she spat out.

Emma could feel her mother’s eyes on her.

“Yes, the family i have chosen. But if you decide to quietly live your life, we will not interfere. You’ be free to do as you wished.”

She caught Harriet’s eyes. She looked... intrigued.

“Then you are against us.”

“As long as you keep killing humans, we are” she affirmed.

“Then we have no other choice.”

“We haven’t either. Guys, now!”

And her family appeared right in the middle of the Amazon, and the fight began. From the first, there was some confusion among the amazons – Harriet and a few others, Mary and Jane among them, if Emma remembered correctly, were calling it “We’re on our side! We won’t be killing humans!” prompting the others to turn against them.

Amazons had once been highly trained and capable, but they had allowed themselves to become monsters – literally and metaphorically.

Emma cut down an Amazon on her way to Catherine. Once the leader was dead, any remaining confidence in the Sisterhood would disintegrate.

She recognized the net enemy who blocked her way.

Her mother.

“Lydia”.

“Emma.”

She had never asked if she had been her first child. Probably not. Either way, Lydia wouldn’t have born the shame alone; the whole Sisterhood bore the blame on equal parts when one of them failed.

“It is not yet too late.”

“It has always been too late for me” she said. They both knew she was speaking the truth.

She wondered if Lydia had known, if she had seen something strange in her.

Their eyes met.

Then, slowly, Lydia let go off her knife and nodded.

Emma killed her quickly and painlessly.

“Em?” She turned to find Dad next to her.

“I’m alright.”

He glanced at Lydia’s body, then looked away.

“Alright. Let’s get the big one.”

Another Amazon tried to attack them, but was cut down by Harriet.

“If Catherine escapes, she’ll just build the Sisterhood anew” she panted. “You have to get her.”

“We will. Now, everyone of you who thinks she can control herself – get out, ok? And no offense, but I really hope to never heard from you again.”

Harriet laughed. “Likewise. And Emma – follow the path the Goddess has chosen for you. You are obviously happy. I want to know what that feels like”.

She nodded.

The rest of their team had formed a circle around Catherine by the time they arrived; she was sneering at them, her Amazon eyes ablaze. The others were dead, or had gone to find a different path.

“Why –“

“Emma” Madison said, “we all felt this was your kill.”

It seemed only fitting.

“You are exactly like your father” Catherine snapped at her, “a hunter. A killer. _Emma Winchester_.”

“And if I am only ever that” she said simply, “I will be happy enough.”

She shot her between the eyes.

In the ensuing silence, Crowley said, “Don’t worry about the bodies, I’ll clean everything up.”

“thanks” she said. Dad touched her shoulder. They slowly walked back to the Impala.

“Em, you did a good thing there.”

“You saved those who wanted to be saved” Cas agreed.

Dean interlaced the fingers of his right hand with his and of his left hand with Emma’s.

She smiled.

If she had found a family of her own, the others could as well. She knew it.


End file.
